Thousands Evacuated As Arms Depot Explodes In Ukraine

Picture: информатор

A massive fire has engulfed a military ammunition depot in central Ukraine, causing huge explosions and mass evacuations.

Forces have had to evacuate up to 30,000 people late last night from the town of Kalynivka in the Vinnytsya region, 120 miles from Kiev.

Videos show fireballs lighting up the night sky and rockets flying in all directions.

More than 1,200 Ukrainian firefighters battled the blaze that continued to burn into Wednesday morning.

According to Ukrainian media, UNIAN, the region’s airspace was closed while some 600 National Guard troops were deployed the area.

One person has been reported injured and four residential buildings were damaged.

Electric and gas supplies were switched off after the depot caught fire Tuesday night.

Local media claimed that there were around 188,000 tons of munitions stored at the depot including rockets for the Grad multiple grenade launchers.

Prime Minister Volodymyr Groysman arrived in the region hours after the blasts occurred, he said “external factors” were behind the incident.

A spokesperson for the Security Service of Ukraine (SBU) the origns of the fire is believed to be “subversive activity”.

A similar incident happened in March where a fire at a military depot in Ukraine's east burned for hours, prompting  the evacuation of 20,000 people.